Machine for making printing plates



h 1. A. H. HMT. MACHINE FOB MAKING PRINTING PLATES.

n APPLICATION fILEDIUIIE I6' Ii9'l6. 302

m I 1I I Patented May 6,- 1919,

B SHEETS-SHEET I IN1/12mm I YS. I om.

l. A.V H. HATT.

MACHINE FQRVMAKING PRINTING PLATES.

APPLICATION FILED IUNE 16T 1916.

Patented May 6; 1919;

l SHEETS--SNEET 2 rnc muws revus oawuomuma.. wasumcmn. n. c.

Piitllltd May 6, 1919,

s sains-suur a.

J. A. H. HATT.

APPLICATIQN FILED )UNE 16. IBIS.

MACHINE FDH MAKING PRINTING PLATES.

WITNESSES.-

paw/dt/ l. A. H. HATT. MAQHIN FORMKING PRINTING PLATES'. APPucmon mtu Junin. ma.

1,302,920. Panama Mays, 1919.

@swings-:nin 4.

1 A. H. HMT.

MACHINE FOR MAKING PRINTING PLATES.

` Armcmon man :un: La. |916.

Patented May 6, 1919.. 4

8 SHEETSf-SHEET 5.

@f @KW 1. A. H. HAU. MACHINE Fon MAKING Pnmrmc mms.

APPLICNI'IDN4 FILED )UNE 6, 19W.

Patented May 6,'1919'.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

WTNESSES i 1. AJH. HAU. mcmuz F'on mms Pnmrmc mms;

` Aprucmon man wams. me. 1,302,920.A f Patented May 6,1919

a suena-sain s.

.JNVENTOR WITNESSES verse webs 6. In said bed frame and webs are threaded vertically disposed screw bolts 7, the upper endof the bolts engaging recesses inabosse's 8, which bosses are formed on the bottom of the 4bed or plate 4. By turning the screw bolts 7 one way or the other the bedy or plate 4 and the surface of the stone may be' accurately brought to the 'desired level.

Means are also provided for accurately positioning the stone both longitudlnally and transversely, andin the embodied form thereof, side walls 9 and 10 are fixed to and project upwardly from the bed or plate 4 (Figs 1 and2). In these side walls 9 and 10 are screw threaded, respectively, screw bolts 11v and 12. By turning these screwr bolts the printing surface v3 may be. accurately brought to desired orregistered position both longitudinally and transversely of the machine. In accordance with certain features of the invention there is provided also a relatively small but widely and accurately movable original printing means, together vwith devices for giving such wide or varied and accurate movement and positioning4L thereto, and in conjunction therewith means for bringing the transferring device into ac.- curate registry therewith in its various positions. As embodied, such means comprlse a cross frame 20 (Figs. 1, 2, 6, 7, and 8) supported between the longitudinally extending side frames 2, said frame 20 having transversely disposed upwardly extending side Walls 21 and 22, which on their inner side serve as guide-Ways for the original printing means and its carrier. Mounted [to travel transversely of the machine, guided by the members 21 and 22, is the carrier 23 for the original printing means, said carrier having downwardly extending iianges 18 and 19, fitting within and guided by the guide members 21 and 22. The carrier 23 for the original printing means is adapted to employ either a lithographie stone or a fiexible metal sheet, or other suitable printing surface.

As shown in Figs. 1,-2 and 6, said carrier is adapted for using a stone. Referring more particularly to said figures, the carrier 23 is provided with a supporting surface 24 for the lithographic stone`25. Means are provided for regulating the height Vor level of the printing surface of the stone 25, and as embodied' screw bolts 26 project through outwardly extending rims or flanges upon the carrier 23, and rest upon the tops of the guiding members 21 and 22. Thus the level of the printing surface is nicely regulated and determined, while the carrier k23 and the stone 25 may be moved and positioned as desired, the points of the screw bolts 26 sliding upon the tops of the members 21 and 22 as the carrier moves.

Means are likewise provided for regulating and determining the position of the stone 25, and the design thereon relatively to its carrier 23, and asembodied, vertically extending side Walls 27 and 28 fixed to, or

integral with, the carrier 23 surround the vstone 25. In threaded engagement with the Walls 27V and 28 are horizontally arranged screw bolts 29, which may be turned to position the printing surface of the stone 25 both longitudinally and transversely as desired. Vhen a flexible metal plate or like surface is utilized for the original rinting means, the carrier therefor is modi ed accordingly. Details of an embodiment thereof are shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the carrier 23 having its top surface 30 ata height positioned to support the fiexible' plate in printing position. .The vertical height of the carrier may be adjusted as desired, and' this ma be done as shown in Figs. 5 and 6 with re erence to the stone. Suitable vmeans for fastening the plate are employed, and as shown a clamp or clamps 31, extending transversely, hold the plate 32 at oneV end and av clamp or clamps 33, extending along the ,other end, hold the `opposite side of the plate. A suitable stretching device is shown, comprising a screw bolt 34, rotatably carriedv by the bracket 35 of clamp 33, the screw bolt being threaded into the carrier 23.

Means are provided for moving and accurately positioning the original printing means and its carrier, and in the embodied form thereof (Figs. 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, v8, 10 and l1) ascrew shaft 40 extends across the machine and is journaled in the frame members 2. Threaded on the shaft 40 is a wing nut 41, which nut engages with the rinting surface carrier 23 (Figs. 6, 7 and 8 so that when the screw shaft 40 is rotated the nut 41 will travel therealong in either direction moving the rinting means carrier 23 therewith.

eans are provided for minutely and accurately determining the position of the'carrier 23 through the rotations of the shaft 40. As embodied, the shaft 40 (Figs. 10 and 11) has fixed thereto a pinion 42, which pinion meshes with a gear 43, which gear is car, ried on a short shaft 44 extending through and journaled in the frame member 2. On its exterior end the shaft 44 has a squared end 45 to take a crank 46. Around the exterior end of the shaft 44 is a dial 47 fastened by screws 48i to the frame 2. On this dial are a circular series of subdivisions of an inch, and fixed to shaft 44 is a finger or pointer 48, which, as the shaft 45 is rotated, passes over the fractional sub-division of the dial. As illustrated, each revolution of shaft 44 equals an inch of travel for the printing means carrier 23, and any fraction of an inch ortravel desired will be indicated by the finger 48.

Means are provided in connection with the surfaces of the original printing means and the finalprinting platesaid means preferably operating both automatically and; also at they will of the operator. In the embodied form thereof (seefespeiallyFigs. 2, 5 and 12),extendin alongtheraok bar 85 is a Vhorizontally* isposed, vertically movable bar 86, supported by butvertically movable relatively to the frame 2. lThe vertical movement ofl the bar .86 is suiiicient that when it is depressed the gear rings 84 will roll along the gear racks 8 5 with'the surface ofthe cylinder80 in position for printing contact with the stones or plates, but-when the bar 8 6 is in upward position, thecylinder 80 is vlifted out of printing contact, while leaving the gear rings 84 still in mesh with the vgeared racks 85. Cogerating vWith the bars 86 are bearing rings 8 on-theends of thel cylinder 80, the rings rolling along the bars. l

-. The embodied meansY for causing and controlling the movement of thebars v86 comprise a series of `toggles 88, located at either side of the machine and at various points therealong. The upper arm 90 .of each toggle is pivotally connected at its upper end 89 to the bar 86. The `bottom arm 91y of the respective toggles is pivotally connected at the lower end 92 of the ar1n,fto'a shaft 93,-said shaft'extending across the bed `ofthe machine, and being similarly connected to a toggle on the opposite side of the machine. From the shaft 93 there extends downwardly an arm 94, said arm being pivotally connected to a longitudinally extending bar 95. The bar 95 connects the various toggles which are located along one -side of the machine to cause them to move together, and a similar bar 95 eonnectstlie various toggles located along the opposite side of the machine. The bars 95 and shafts 93 thus cause all the toggles to move together. I

Means are provided whereby the cylinder 80 at one end of its path of travel will drop itself for impression, that is, move downwardly into the printing contact position, and at the opposite end of its path of travel will raise itself from impression that is, move upwardly out of the printing contact position, for `the return trip. In Figs. 1 and 2 the cylinder would be in impress-ion or in printing contacttraveling tothe right, andy out of impression or out of printing contact traveling to the left'in said figures.

In the present embodiment from the shaft 93 which is at the righthand end of the machine (Figs. 1 and 2) extends upwardly a leveror trigger 97, and from the shaft 93 which is at the left hand end of the machine, extends upwardly an arm or trigger 98, these trip arms or triggers being preferably duplicated at each side of the machine. These arms are in position to enrubber similar kto dental rubber.

out of printing contact or out of impression position.

The embodied means for throwing on and 0H the impression at the will of the operator comprise a foot lever 100 (Figs. 2 and 5) fixed intermediately its ends to one end of a shaft 101. Shaft 101 extends across the machine and is journaled in the machine frame. There is a foot lever 100 at each end ofv shaft 101, at either side of the machine. Pivotally connected to'One arm of the respective levers 100 is an upwardly extending rod 103, which rod at its upper end is pivotally connected toan arm 104,1 the two arms being fixed to the ends of one of the cross shafts 93. The foot pedals at either side of :the machine, thus serve to Ipermit an operator to raise or lower .the

transfer cylinder when and where desired.

In Atheiembodied form the-transfer cylinder is provided` with offset printing surfaces. Said cylinder in accordance with one feature of the invention has two transfer or carrying surfaces correspond-ing generally in area to a large and a small original printing means, the small transfer surface,

kin accordance with one feature of the invention having relative movement, which may be in unisonand in register with that of thesmaller original printing means.

The larger cylindrical transfer surface is provided with an oifset printing vsurface 110, which may have stretching clamps 111 and 112 of suitable and approved design, and which need not be described in detail.`

The other transfer surface iscarried upon a portion of tlievcylinder which, as stated, is movable and positionable along the cylinder and transversely of the machine'andin harmony and register with the original printing means 25. In the embodied form, a segment 113 of the cylinder 80 has its under surface beveled to engage with undercut or dovetail trackways or guideways 11i and 115 projecting from and formed along the cylinder 80. If desired, a gib ll'may be used, with suitable tightening screw 117 to produce sufficient pressure to hold the sector v113 in any desired position. Upon the surface of the sector 113 a suitable offset surface is mounted, and preferably a heavy rubber vblanket 118 is stretched underneath and thereover a light rubber sheet 119, ypreferably of alight and soft grade of In the 1&081920 embodied form suitable .stretching ineens are. provided for enfsh of the .offset layers, the stretching nien/ns 120 stretching the lower blanket, .end the roller 12.1 With ratchet 1.22 and, ewl 123 serving te stretoh the loyer of ligt rubber smoothly there- QVBil. 0 The embodied torni of Ineens for effetting ,und retaining registry between the original printing ineens 25. end the segment 118 eoinpi'ises enoumfsrentielly disposed grooves 124:, end 125 formed. in the ends of. the. segment 1.13, end adapted to engage W1th this guides 49, which are formed on the top 0f members 27 of the carrier 23 for the origin-el printing ineens. Thu-s 1f the .oyllnder 80 be .relied intoposition-the grooves 124:. end'l25 will engage. the guides 469,' end es shaft 40 is tun-ned, the originel pijxnting. surface 25 and segment 113 Will be moved end registered together. The segment l being so it will rsnieln 1n posi-tion, stone 25. has been inked, the segment will noli thereover and he 1n register as Jnst desenibed. It will then roll along end print the impression in pres inse upon the tinel printing plete,

Means provided hy the invention for ftglsipmg the positions upon the. original printing ineens and on. the final printing plante with refeienee to eeeh other, and also. foi. registering the ferions originel printing means pren-enly upon their .zespeotiee final printing plates, Where printing is done n plnrelityof soloisln the. embodied torni of sueh ineens (Figs. 13, 14 and l5), them is provided e i non? of geel wheels 1&0, meshing respectively with the geered tneeks et eeloh side of the n-ieohlne.` .Gear wheels 140 ere nested together :by e sheft 14.1., extending schoss the machine., each @f the. gesp wheels being inelosed in e housin.- .142.. The lions ings .142 entend downwerdy .along .the outer ei the or .freine members 2, and fire. provided with sustehle positioning ineens. to lixtliem in position upon the bed. lfhe embodied ion-ni thereot tempi-isos .spring pins. .143 inelosed in eeslngs les formed on the lionfslngddr2 The .Pins 1%3 are .eetednll nesneotineln, hy springs 145, inolosed within the endings.. 144, inner ends 1.416 of the pins engaging registering holes fomnedin the bed" plete on fname member-s 2! lhe .pins ene retreoteble by lnend sind ene spinne;- pressed intoe'ngagement with mgm, hens 2i. Enengelflng thessheft 1.4.1 l.1s n sloeife .147.,hep1ng hlndmg .seitens 1.48 for xin f 1t in nositann @non the shaft.. The `sleeve le, 1s psowided et its ends with eoliens. 149 Inediti;7 edfnnon .end ,onwel-ing the slee/we..-` 147, end held 1n- Positien lon nndlnellyv thereon by the-eoliens 14.95 is e steve-150, wlnh-is thus longttndinelly in position: while being tree te nenne englilenly ebont sleeve 1.4.7 end shaft 1.41 Formed on the sleeve 150 is nn internally threaded boss 151, int@ which boss is screw-threaded e rod 153. A counter weight s is .fixed to the sleeve 15.0 sub= stentielly opposite to the rod .153, Whioh seryes .to swing upwerdly the rod. 1.5.3 and maintain it in en eleveted position when not in Ilse-` .Slidebly mounted upon the .rod 153 is e bloei; 15.4: having e clamping screw 155. for holding ,1t 1n position upon the block! A ne i istering finger 156 is slidfiblyy mounted .in tige block 154, end is held in adjusted Position by a. Clamping screw 1.57. A sliding bloei; 15,8 is else mounted .on the ,rod lfend ,is held 1n position by Clamping serew 1.59P 0n an .anni ld@ extending from the block. 158. is e. double ended registry linger 161 which is slidelily mounted in the eine 1.6.0, and is .held in .osition by (demping sere-w .1.62.

.y the positioning of the lingers 156 and .161. along the rod end applying .the fingers to the-various printing surfaces, any posiT tion on one of the printing pistes or printing stir-.fases lney be brought into endet. negistny with any position upon the other. Thot is, any point or position on the final printing plete vend any point or position en the. de-

.of the. originel. printing ineens may be brought into exeet .registry in ndvenee, so.

.that the. odset transfer .Ineens which takes the..des1gn from the-originel Printing Ineens will .platee the design nccnintelyin .the desired position n-pon the fnnl Apnlntilh plete., The double Apointer 161 maybe utilized also, es indicated in Fig. .13, to test or ne ister lli the. tnensnense position of the .offset ey index.

on of Atiny. desired position on .the sinfeoe thereof with the position of any point or pnrt of the design or designs on the printing snrfane,

Means ene provided by the invention for engnlerlgg posltonin or registering e design on the originel minfin means with respeet tothe sxsor generell .ispositon of the de l .sign es itis te hele-1d down nnen the plete,

and also to singularly position :or registr the lll-58mm original. means for the Various or sneoessiveoolons of irregularly pleoed or Positioned designs.,

Inthe embodied forno thereof {Figs- .17 and llseid noeensis .shown applied on to the transversely positioneble vcerner for the. `orlgninl min-.ting- Ineans- Monnted-npon ,the terrier 23 1s a hase-180, said lenseA being ,posh tions/ble ley the seven' bolts 2x9 es already dssribed end qs ,will .he eleenly nndenstood. Seid bese 1&0 1s, oentrslly epertuxedto reeeiveta downwardly extending .stn'b shalt lill, whiohprfeets f noxn the bottom of e simuler -iste .1. 2 .nestingnpon the :lesse 1.80..

Plets -1.8 pnoyided pretenebly around its with. e enrouleur. seele. 18d merked o# los onthe base 180 and copcrates with scale 1 83 to indicate the rotation of the angular circular plate 182. Upwardly projecting from the'plate 1:82am a plurality of posts 185 into eachbfwhich posts is threaded, respectively, a'screw bolt 186. Resting upon the plate 182 is a cylindrical support 187, the sides thereof being engaged by the screw bolts 185, vwhereby the support 187 may be accurately positioned in all directions horizontally With respect to the plate 182, While the support 187 will be angularly moved with the plate 182. A clamping screw 195 is in threaded engagement With base 180, its point bearing against the stub shaft y181 to hold plate 182 and parts carried thereby in adjusted angular position. Carried 'upon the support 187 is a printing plate bed 188 providedl With lplate stretching and clamping means 189. Fixed to the base 180 is avertically extending post 190. In van aperture in post 190 is carried an arm 191, a clamping screw 192 being threaded in thehead of the post 190 and serving to hold the rod 191 in position. In the end of the rod 191 is mounted a registering finger 193 provided with a clamping screw 194.

In printing irregularly yarranged designs, as for instance in the printing ofenvelops, economy vof space requires' that they be placed as closely as possible upon the final printing plate. They are therefore arranged at varying angles, as regards the lines Or axes'of'the designs. Itis very essential that not lonly the designs be placed accurately longitudinally'and transversely, but also angularly, and it is essential that this angular registration beaccurately reproduced on the successive platesfor the various ,colors Where the envelope or other Work is printed in multi-color. By the mechanism just described all of these operati-ons and registrations ar'e expeditiously and accurately effected with the completest nicety', Whereas heretofor'e the Work has .been laboriously and d'iiiicultly performed by hand labor which consists in 'merely trying it out.

One manner of usingy the mechanism j ust described is substantially as follows i' 50 The angle of inclination of the 'design to the longitudinal and transverse lines ofthe machine is easily .determinable, andthe arrgularadjustmentfor'positioning of the plate 1 96 in Figs. 17s. and 18 to the same angle is a simple, mechani'ca-lly positive, and ,practically instantaneous operationf VThev 4design may be supplied with register marks, carried on the printing plate for one of the' colors, or onan impression on paper or other mael'al taken from such a printingplate', such plate being held or clamped in position upon the-.bed 60.y Such marks .are equi-distant from a chosencentral point of the design, and'should be arranged, u Y.on Atheselected aires of the design. t3By yplacing th'sme marks in the same relation or positions with regard to the design upon the plate 196, and then rotating the design beneath the point 193, the design upon the plate 196 will be in the desired longitudinal and transverse position when all of the registering marks'on the plate 196 pass beneath the point 193. The positioning can be ei'ected by rotation of the shaft 40' and' of thescreW bolts '29. The angular position 'ofthe'V plate 196 is then secured in the manner already described, and upon transferring the design from the plate 196 Will go down upon the final 'printing plate in absolute register both longitudinally, transversely and'angularly.

The manner ofoperation of them'achine will be clearly understoodv from the description and statements of operation already given in connection with the various groups of parts of the mechanism. It may be stated in brief rsum as follows The final printing plate is placed uponthe bed 60, and Where a single design carried upon a small lithographie stone or 'metal plate orother originalprinting means is to be put down many' times upon the final printing plate in vaccurately predetermined position, itmay be considered that the original printingmeans 25 may be moved by screw'shaft 40, say to the farthest transverse position toward the top of the sheet in Fig. 1. The bed for the final printing plate may be likewise positioned to receive the design at the end of the `final printing plate nearest to the original printing means. The devices for accurately positioningV these means to any desired fractions of an inch have already been' described. The segment 113 of the transverse cylinder Was in engagement with the vguides 49 duringthe positioning transversely of the :stone 25, and after the inking of the stone, the transverse cylinder is rolled thereover and also over the final printing plate, thereby taking the design from the original printing' means and laying it down upon the final printing plate. If there area' plurality of designs in the same transverseV alinement, longitudinal movement may be imparted tothe bed 6 0 and thereby to the final printing plate, to bring it accurately into the position for the second design, but the original printing means need not be positioned transverselytfrithis second transfer, nor for any transfers ythat are in longitudinal alinement along the final printing plate. v

When such line of rnplessionshas been laid down uponthe finalfprinting plate, and there is another line of designsin 'like longitudinafr alinenient, the driginal' A"printing means may then beV 'moved 'and 'positioned transversely once foi` such entire' longitudinal line of designs,and the bed 60'f1nay` be moved betweenfeach successive offset impression, but in the'op'posite direction. t 'Thus the ioo mu tl'neosly tra @the final printhgfpla The vmi'o'u's positioznn v devices would' bq ms nce -tofdebrmine yliiferell, pints@r design or! toregister the vdesign forllse inmulti- 001011y v ableigof" ther IS d "uses, .which Will` be Ubvus t0 led inthart,^ofmayfbe learned by y 1" Withthevmachin, ransferring Y 

